Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-16
NOW, THEN, CAMILLE.
Vine, Sara Bernhard Has a Little
Play Within Play, and Makes
1t Lively Fer
The stage Carpenter and the Rest of the
Boys-Genius in a Fine Burst
of Passion.
Kansas CITY Times.

boxes were filed and rows of three-stOry
hats extended back to the curtains. The
play was Camille" q play which re-
CURED Only tolerably good memory and
pair of opera glasses, as far
as the spectator was concerned.
The curtain went up about $3.50
o'clock, but the song and dance proper
did not commence until half an hour
later. There was little in the first act to
inspire any audience; even 81 so
audience was struck with the poverty Of
the act, which merely showed Bern
hsrdt in handsome, dress and displayed
8 Iifeless support in g dismal light.
But when Sara struck an attitude
and the curtain endeavored to descend, it
progressed slowly until it encountered
q table and chair and then it stopped.
And then the audience laughed q cold and
beartless laugh. And after one or two
efforts the distractions were remov ed
and the scene of war was shut out from
the audience. But few gentle
men who knew the Bernhardt's
temper when her scenes are
spoiled, skipped eXpectantIy to the back
of the house. The madam's blood was
up and she proceeded to business without
delay. Charley, the mlld-eyed, gentle
stage carpenter, who had never known
harsher note than Mel HudsOn's soft re-
breaches, was singled out for an attack.
The madam few at him like tigress, ut
tering strange cries in foreign tongue.
Here accounts differ. Some say that
she grasped him by the taroat and
brsndished her cIenChed fist, while
the excited company danced war dance
very much as the Partisan popuiaCe
danced around the opera house when
"Lohengrin" was sung. With wild cry
of terror Charley broke from the Nemesis
and plunged headIong down the stairs on
the Walnut street side, where he enCoun-
tered Manager Hudson. "They are going
to murder me, Mr.. Hudson" he said, and
his knees smOte together in his fright.
"Ah." said Mr.. Hudson. He turned q
title paler, but calm light burned in his
eve. In his hand he grssped a small bam-
boo cane, with which ne advanced fear
Iesslv to meet the fiery Gauls. "Weu,
what is it," said he pleasantly in his best
West side patoIs. He who has not heard
Mr.. Hudson say 'FWhat is tips can have
no idea Of the sweetness and persuasive
ness of the phrase. But Mr.. Hudson tells
the story in his own language.
al went up there among those wild
animals merely to protect Charley.
knew the madam was little hasty in her
temper, and | thought could smooth her
down. As soon as she saw me she took
two Jumps. thought she was going to
hit me, and l determined to sell my life
as dearly as possible. 1 never saw q
woman in such a rage. You know she
doesn't wear much above the waist in the
frst act. Well, she came at me beating her
bare chest like this. (Mr. Hudson hit
{ himself q whack that could have been
heard across the street,. Il am Sarah
Bernhardt,' she cried. Certainly you
are, madam said I, certainly you are
And then l took her sOOthingly by the
mand told her to step aside and l would
explain everything satisfactorily. Then
all the frog eaters got around and began
to iabber at me, and the fellow who plays
the lover drew back and was going to hit
me when the policemen came in"
The aid of the police had been invoked
early in the fray. Assistant Manager
Thomas had skipped into the streets and
enrolled two of the sturdIest officers on
the force They arrived on the scene
Just as Mr.. Hudson had abandoned hope
and commended his soul TO heaven. AS
soon, however, as he saw the blue
coats and the faces of his tTusty
hirelings, he felt new life and strength.
"Ha." he exclaimed, "Where is the SON.
Of,a-ses- cook who wanted to hit me?"
And then copying the Warlike GARNER
gently simmering down, he added
"NoW you get right away from here, or
I'll tnump We" And Mr.. Hudson looked
so terrible in his wrath that Mr.. GARNER
got away st once.
In the meantime the Bernhard was
still in the thrOes, and the Cuban man
servant and the Porto Rico steward were
salsaming obsequiously for want of other
eEpedients. 1t took very few moments
to explain to the madam that her com
pany had caralessly rolled the table IN
der the curtain, and that if the curtain
had been allowed to descend upon
it the center bORrd would have
been smashed. Then the madam gave
her decision: either Charley or she-she
who must be obeyed-must leave the
theatre. And the whole company fell at
her feet, and Wept and impIored. And
Mr.. Hudson pleaded eloquentIY,
and swore that Charley was the
dnest fellow in the world and
Just dying to serve her. (Chsrley was at
that moment roosting under police pro-
lection in q secret grotto.) So the madam
finally relaxed, and gave orders that the
C0A I@Ah AlASht SO upJ JUST aS MI DSAL .
orchestra had finished it's repertoire and
was preparing for second round.
The second act discIoses Camille in q
charming Worth dress for house, dis
coursing with Armand as to the pro-
priety of getting away into the country
with the old Dukes money and enjoying
themselves. There are several tender
scenes in the second act, Charmingly en-
scted, and lovers quarrel in
which the Bernhardt takes occasion to
disarrange the furniture. The curtain
falls on an impressive tablesu represent.
ing Camille and Armand locked in a pas
siOnate embrace. As luck would have If
Camille in her simulated pettishness had
kicked & chair d little too far to the front,
and as the curtain descended il
net with the same impediment; and
the audience Just laughed the same cold
heartless laugh. "Good Iord!" said the
policeman in the LOBBY, &nd he started fol
the stage door on q dead run. But
woman is ever tickle, ever changing, and
she who had stormed few minutes be-
lore now merely laughed.
From this point the pisy proceeded
smoothly and was q great exhibition of
dramatic mower The encounter in the